Mass Evil
by GaisciochDeEirinn
Summary: If Star Trek can have an alternate, evil universe, then so can Mass Effect. Welcome to the Alternate Universe, where it's not only Commander Shepard who's renegade... it's the entire Human race. Long Live the Empire.
1. Prologue

Mass Evil

If Star Trek can have an alternate, evil universe, then so can Mass Effect. Welcome to the alternate universe, where it's not just Shepard that's renegade... it's the entire Human race.

Slightly humorous, mainly darkish sci-fi action/adventure. Rating: M. Graphic violence and sexual situations.

Hello thar. Now firstly, I apologize if I get some details wrong... I don't even know if the Turians call their planet Turia, nor whether the Hierarchy has a single, monolithic leader, like an Archon or Emperor. Secondly, I OWN NOTHING. Except for the characters I created specifically for this story. I don't believe I need to say any more than that. Lastly, the idea for this story was based on the Star Trek Enterprise Episode "In A Mirror, Darkly". In fact I'm listening to it right now... to give me "inspiration"... for EVIL. Muahahahahaha... OK enough of this faggotry... on with the story!

* * *

Turia

Late 2157 CE - First Contact War

Endgame

Humans. Archon Kollos could smell their scent, their stink, like a rotten mala fruit. How had it come to this? What happened to the Council envoys sent to parley with these aggressors?

Three, no four... twenty Human commandos had sniped, killed, and beat their way through the remains of his demoralized regiment, while he was... wallowing in self-pity. Unbecoming of a Turian, nevertheless he had always been prone to certain swings of emotion. And he was the last custodian of Turian civilization. His personal guards reeked of the fear-scent, as, he was sure, did he.

The Humans began to surround the Archon and his security detail. Others secured the area. No escape now. Have to face the enemy, like a dutiful soldier. He would do what he must to preserve his race.

"Your orders, Archon", requested a younger sentinel.

If the Council would not or could not negotiate, he would. Not exactly a glorious death, but...

"Your orders, Archon..." requested the same guardian, more urgently. Death closed in around them.

"Lay down your arms. Now."

A pause. The clanking of metal on stone floor.

Get down. Show submission. Make yourself a non-threat.

A Human, who had been hidden behind the vanguard, stepped forward, lightly shoving others out of his way. All their faces were obscured by the contrast of the light coming in from the ajar palace doors into the darker entrance hall, but Kollos could see even then that their uniforms incorporated stolen and reverse-engineered Turian equipment. If there was one thing of note regarding humans, other than their aggression and ruthlessness, it was their skill with adapting foreign technology. A disgrace! That Turian engineering could engineer the downfall of its creators.

Commander David Anderson removed his helmet. Looking down at the pathetic life-form that had kneeled in submission, he unholstered a device, which many of the marines, though unacquainted with technology not developed for combat, recognized as a human-developed reverse-engineered auto-translator. He held it up, expectantly. The pathetic life-form on the ground said something.

"iiiKorchlos asss Tmurakha iii eeemrach tmitar iii. Ghnggeae.."

Andersons eyes shifted from the Turian to the translator. This foul, hissing language disgusted him at best. He looked forward to the day when someone else took over the interrogations.

"Submissively, I Kollos, Turian Hierarch, surrender the Empire. Emphatically, have mercy."

The small device went back on Anderson's belt. It was replaced by a pistol.

He aimed it at the Archon's head.

"Surrender this." Gunshot.

...

"Uh, sir, your last line didn't entirely make sense."

"Shut up, Johnson."

* * *

In the year 2148, explorers on Mars discovered the remains of an ancient spacefaring civilization. In the decades that followed, only the mysterious new technologies yielded from these remains protected Humanity from alien aggressors. Fighting their way across the galaxy, the brave Systems Alliance warriors conquered the aggressors, and in a daring tactical manoeuvre, captured the capital of a galactic civilization encompassing thousands of light-years and tens of species.

We Humans call it Eden Prime.

The inferior races call it... the Citadel.

Long Live the Alliance.

* * *

Linguistic analysis:

iiiKorchlos asss Tmurakha iii eeemrach tmitar iii. Ghnggeae.

SUBMISSIVEKollos 1SG SUB Empire surrender SUB. .EMPHATIC.

Submissive sentences are laced with the shrill "iii" phoneme (sounding like a cross between a meow and nails on chalk), denoting, of course, submission. Ghggeae is derived from the nominative gggi, "have mercy" (a gurgling, growling sound). The "m" and "n" sounding phonemes in certain words denote the speaker's status as Archon. It is a style of speech reserved only for the highest members of society.


	2. Chapter 1

26 Years Later

Earth Orbit – Sol System

"Well, what about Shepard? He's a spacer. Lived aboard starships most of his life."

"Military service runs in the family. Both his parents were in the navy."

"He got most of his unit killed on Torfan."

"He gets the job done. No matter what the cost."

"Is that the kind of person we want protecting Humanity?"

"That's the only kind of person who can protect Humanity."

"I'll make the call."

* * *

Near Jupiter – Sol System

Systems Empire Vessel (SEV) Normandy.

Commander John Shepard entered the navigation center of the SEV Normandy. He shoved an inferior officer out of his way. The servile fool tripped and fell. But nobody questioned him. Nobody had the authority to.

Joker's voice sounded over the comm. as the Normandy flew by the blue gas giant Neptune. "The Arcturus Prime relay is in range. Initiating transmission sequence."

Shepard walked through the connecting corridor to the bridge, lined with rows of weapons computers. Always alert and scanning for threats, they were incorporated with technology from the subjugated Turians, as were many of the ship's top-of-the-line systems.

"We are connected. Calculating transit mass and destination... the relay is hot. Acquiring approach vector. All stations secure for transit."

The vessel configured for mass transit, rapidly approaching the ancient relay as Shepard entered the bridge. "The board is green. Approach run has begun", said Joker again over the ship's comm., as the great glowing mass of dark energy held in place by curved metal from ancient times came into the view of the bridge as the Normandy turned in space.

"Hitting the relay in 3... 2... 1..." An electric blue current surrounded the ship as it lined itself up with the relay, and disappeared instantaneously, as the mass effect field accelerated it to impossible speeds.

...

"Thrusters. Check. Navigation. Check. Internal emissions sink engaged. All systems online. Drift... just under 1500 K."

"1500 is good. Our captain will be pleased." The enslaved Spectre, Nihlus, stalked off the bridge.

Joker looked at Kaiden Alenko in the co-pilots seat. "... I hate that guy."

"Nihlus gave you a complement... so you hate him?" replied Kaiden.

"Did you not just hear what that... thing said? It wasn't WHAT he said so much as the WAY he said it. That alien just strolls along all day, acting the role of supervisor, superior to us Humans. The captain should bring him in line."

"Hey- this ship was built with Turian technology. I dislike aliens as much as the next guy, but we need their kind on board as experts."

"Yeah, that is the official story. But you don't send Spectres, much less Turian Spectres, on shakedown runs. What knowledge could he possibly have other than-"

"That's enough." Shepard spoke up for the first time. "You're soldiers. Act like it."

"Sorry, Commander" Kaiden said.

The comm. beeped. Captain Anderson's voice.

"Joker. Status report."

"Just cleared the mass relay Captain. Stealth systems engaged. Everything looks solid."

"Good. Find a comm. buoy and link us into the network. I want mission reports relayed back to Empire brass before we reach Foothold."

"Aye aye Captain. Better break out the old whip, Sir. I think Nihlus is headed your way."

"He's already here, Lieutenant. And watch that tongue before I cut it out."

Joker just shook his head to himself.

"Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the comm. room for a debriefing." Beep.

"You got that Commander?"

"I'm on my way", the Commander said as he turned to leave.

"Is it just me or does the Captain always sound a little pissed off?"

"Only when he's talking to you, Joker", said Kaiden, smirking.

As Commander Shepard marched by the navigation room, he overheard Navigator Pressly talking to Adams down in Engineering over a private comm.

"I'm telling you, I just saw him! He marched by like he was on a mission."

Adams scoffed. "He's a Spectre. They're always on a mission."

"And we're getting dragged right along with him. I don't know what Imperial brass thinks they're doing, sending a former Council agent along with Humanity's most advanced starship..."

From what Shepard could tell, that was what the entire crew was thinking in some way or another. He even overhead the bloodthirsty Corporal Jenkins speculating with doctor/torturer (Alliance doctors served dual roles) Chakwas on how there was something "not right" about a Turian Spectre being sent on a mission to Foothold, Humanity's first colony.

As the commander entered the briefing room, he saw the Turian, studying data on Foothold. Suspiciously, he approached the Spectre, who turned to face him.

"Commander Shepard. I was hoping you'd get here first. It will give us a chance to talk."

Shepard narrowed his eyes. "What about?"

Nihlus began pacing, thoughtfully. "I'm interested in this world we're going to – Foothold. I hear it's quite beautiful."

"I'm a marine, not some tourist on vacation", Shepard sneered.

"It's more than just a tourist destination, isn't it, Shepard? Foothold is a symbol of Humanity, a perfect little world on the edge of the Empire. Proof that Humanity can not only establish colonies across the galaxy, but also protect them from... inferior races. Like my people. Even though we've proven that we serve only the Empire over the past two decades. But how safe is it, really?"

"Are you trying to scare me, Turian?"

"Your people, the overlords of mine, are still newcomers, Shepard. The galaxy can be a very dangerous place. Is the Empire truly ready for this?"

"If you think-" Shepard began to exclaim, but was cut off by Captain Anderson's voice behind him.

"I think it's time we told the Commander what's really going on."

Nihlus nodded. "This mission is far more than a simple shakedown run."

"I already figured that out."

"We're making a covert pickup on Eden Prime. That's why we needed the stealth systems operational."

Shepard's eyebrow moved upwards, like Spock's. "There must be a reason you didn't tell me about this, Sir."

"This comes down from the top, Commander. The information's strictly on a need-to-know basis. A research team on Foothold unearthed some kind of... beacon during an excavation. It was Prothean."

"I thought the Protheans vanished fifty thousand years ago."

Nihlus piped up. "Their legacy still remains. The mass relays, the Citadel- I mean Eden Prime station, our ship drives – it's all based on Prothean technology."

"This is big, Shepard. The last time Humanity made a discovery like this, it jumped our technology forward two hundred years. But Foothold doesn't have the facilities to handle something like this. We need to bring the beacon back to Eden Prime for proper study."

"Are we expecting trouble?"

Nihlus retorted, grimly, "I'm always expecting trouble."

Captain Anderson continued. "There's more Shepard. Nihlus isn't just here for the beacon. He's also here to... evaluate you."

Shepard swore. "What? If you think I'm going to let myself be... observed by this subhuman-"

"Shut your mouth, Commander! I've been pushing Imperial HQ to elevate you for a long time, don't make me regret it! Nihlus may be a Turian, but he's also a Spectre, and the only one the Alliance could spare for this mission. Human or no he's qualified to recommend you for the Spectre program, and that's all that matters."

"Both the Captain and I were impressed when we studied the reports from Torfan. A grim business... but you got the job done. That's why Captain Anderson put your name forward as a candidate for the Spectres."

"I don't like people making decisions about my future."

"This isn't about you, Shepard. Humanity needs more leaders, more inspiration on the battlefield. We're counting on you to be one of them."

"I need to see your skills for myself, Commander. Foothold will be the first of several missions together."

"You'll be in charge of the ground team. Secure the beacon and get on to the ship ASAP. Nihlus will accompany you to observe the mission."

"Fine. Just give the word Captain."

"We should be getting close to the-"

And then, Joker, over the comm. system.

"Captain! We've got a problem." His voice sounded urgent.

"What's wrong Joker?"

"Transmission from Foothold, sir. You'd better see this."

The captain turned to the view screen. "Bring it up on screen."

Joker did. The first thing the three of them saw was... rifle fire. Shaky camera movement, smoke... marines were firing upward at something, retreating. A female marine rushed over to the recorder. "Get down!" She continued firing, protecting the transmission. More unsteady movements... earth met sky as explosive rounds impacted. An officer was yelling at the camera. "We are under attack! Taking heavy casualties! I repeat – heavy casualties! We can't... argh!... –eed evac! They came out of nowhere! We need-"

The marine fell back from the camera, apparently dead. The cameraman was looking around again, at marines that looked upward, their eyes transfixed with expressions of shock and awe. The camera looked that way, too.

What the transmission showed had to be seen to be believed. It was... something that large had to be a ship, but it looked... different from other vessels of alien design. Almost like a giant hand, the digits of which all moved independently of one another, while electricity sparked. Suddenly the transmission shook once more... the cameraman was firing... an explosion... static.

There was silence for a moment. Joker spoke.

"Everything cuts out after that. No comm. traffic at all. Just goes dead. There's nothing."

"Reverse, and hold at 38.5", commanded the Captain.

The ship again. Nihlus' mandibles twitched with some weird alien emotion.

Anderson. "Status report!"

"Seventeen minutes out Captain. No other Alliance ships in the area."

"Take us in Joker, fast and quiet. This mission just got a lot more complicated."

Nihlus gave his tactical appraisal. "A small strike team can move quickly without drawing attention. It's our best chance to secure the beacon."

"Grab your gear and meet us in the cargo hold", the Captain ordered Shepard as Nihlus stalked off in Turian fashion. "Tell Alenko and Jenkins to suit up Commander. You're going in."

* * *


End file.
